Germans From Russia Just another NDSU Library weblog

Jessica Clark will present “Hope for Tomorrow: Holiday Traditions Shape German-Russian Identity” on Friday, March 28.

The colloquium will take place in Morrill Hall 107, NDSU, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Please click here for more information.

Jessica Clark, Coordinator of the Dakota Memories Oral History Project

Organizers of the Dakota Memories Oral History Project, in cooperation with Prairie Public Broadcasting, will air the second part of “Growing Up German-Russian: A Radio Series, Part II,” beginning March 24.

The first part of the radio series, aired last spring and was partially funded by a grant from the North Dakota Humanities Council.

According to Jessica Clark, project coordinator and recipient of the Germans from Russia History Doctoral Fellowship at NDSU, the “Growing up German-Russian” radio series focuses on the childhood memories of second and third generation Germans from Russia.

“The series consists of short clips about memories of traumatic events, rural traditions, family life and food ways,” Clark said. “It is by far our most geographically diverse and entertaining series to date.”

Public interest in documenting and preserving German-Russian ethnic identity inspired the launch of the project in 2005. Since then, organizers have been traveling the Northern Plains, gathering stories and documenting family relationships and childhood memories of second and third generation Germans from Russia. Memories like those of Elda (Schultz) Rasch, originally from Fredonia, N.D., are part of the radio series.

During an interview for the project, Rasch shared childhood memories of gopher hunting. She said that her family trapped the gophers and would turn their tails in to the county, which paid two cents per tail. “One time I remember we didn’t kill them, we just let them run without their tails,” Rasch said laughing. “Dad found out about it and that was the end of our gopher hunting for a while.”

Arthur E. Schmidt, another participant for the project who is originally from the Mewelart Township in North Dakota, told a story of his father’s positive attitude during a difficult time for farming. He remembered his family was getting ready to harvest a field of wheat, when grasshoppers invaded and destroyed the entire field. “Everything was gone. The wheat was chewed down,” Schmidt said. “Then my mom said, now what are we going to do? This was supposed to be enough for our flour for the winter and enough seed to reseed again next spring.” Schmidt knew his father was hurting, but he reassured the family there would be another way.

The radio broadcasts are funded by the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection and can be heard on 90.5 FM in Bismarck, 89.9 FM in Dickinson, 91.9 FM in Fargo, 89.3 FM in Grand Forks, 91.5 FM in Jamestown, 88.9 FM in Minot and 89.5 FM in Williston. The program will run through May 12, broadcasting at 7:33 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. The program also will air following the “Hear it Now” show, which airs at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The radio narratives also can be heard at www.prairiepublic.org/radio. A two-disc set will be available for purchase in late spring or early summer.

The Dakota Memories Oral History Project is a privately funded project sponsored by the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection in the NDSU Library. For more information, contact the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection at 1-6596 or visit www.ndsu.edu/grhc/dakotamemories.

Please click here to see a schedule.

The Germans from Russia Heritage Collection is pleased to announce the publication of Church Book: Evangelical Lutheran Hoffnungs Gemeinde 1904-1944.

This book is a translation of the original church record books from the Hoffnungs Church. The German script was translated by Dorothea (Bergstedt) Ziegler – Dickinson, ND and compiled by Orion A. Rudolph – Ashley, ND.

The Hoffnungs Church is one of seventeen Evangelical Lutheran Congregations churches in McIntosh County, North Dakota. These rural congregations are now associated with Zion Lutheran Church, Ashley.

The Hoffnungs Gemeinde church book contains baptismal registers, meeting minutes, communion registers, death registers, offerings, member registers, marriages, and burials. As a special enhancement for the book, Rudolph photographed all the tombstones at Hope Cemetery (the cemetery at the Hoffnungs Church site). Rudolph also compiled all dates and had the inscriptions translated.

When asked why he got involved with this large project, Rudolph said, “Spiritual drive…the more I got involved, and with Dorothea’s encouragement, the more spiritual drive I had for this project.” He wants the books to be accessible in the English language so future English speaking generations can read these books.

To purchase the $30.00 book, please contact the GRHC at 701-231-6596.

For more information, visit www.ndsu.edu/grhc/order/nd_sd_history/huffnungs.html.

The Advertising Federation of Fargo Moorhead awarded a Silver Addy Award in the Sales Promotion Product or Service Sales Presentation category for the Germans from Russia brochure and pocket folder, at their annual Addy Awards Banquet at the Fargo, N.D., Holiday Inn on Friday, Feb. 29. Credits go to Beth Hagemeister (design), Kathy Laid (copy editor), Knight Printing and Richtman’s Printing (printers). The Addys are the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition. The mission of the Addy competition is to recognize and reward creative excellence in the art of advertising.

Front Panel of the GRHC Brochure

Front of the GRHC Folder

Please click her to view the March 2008 In Touch with Prairie Living column.